as in clowning
wildly playful or mischievous behavior
their madcap buffoonery turned the duo into the nation's hottest comedy act
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Recent Examples of buffoonery
Death by Lightning, adapted by Mike Makowsky from Candice Millard’s 2011 nonfiction book and directed by Matt Ross, hums with the strength of these performances, particularly Shannon’s quiet composure and Macfadyen mining new depths of buffoonery.
—
Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 1 Dec. 2025
Since medieval times, the colorful fool—from court jesters to Shakespeare’s characters—has used playful wit to critique authority and buffoonery to whip up excitement.
—Time, 30 Oct. 2025
Their relationship, tentative, intimate, and defiant, lingers long after the satirical skewering of male buffoonery has faded.
—Leila Latif, IndieWire, 5 Sep. 2025
He’s been tinkering with this messaging on and off since damn near the start of the century, when his criticism of the genre shifted from the power-holding executives (both white and Black) of the music industry who were profiting off buffoonery, a la Bamboozled, to rap music itself.
—Alphonse Pierre, Pitchfork, 15 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for buffoonery
Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 1 Dec. 2025
Since medieval times, the colorful fool—from court jesters to Shakespeare’s characters—has used playful wit to critique authority and buffoonery to whip up excitement.
—Time, 30 Oct. 2025
Their relationship, tentative, intimate, and defiant, lingers long after the satirical skewering of male buffoonery has faded.
—Leila Latif, IndieWire, 5 Sep. 2025
He’s been tinkering with this messaging on and off since damn near the start of the century, when his criticism of the genre shifted from the power-holding executives (both white and Black) of the music industry who were profiting off buffoonery, a la Bamboozled, to rap music itself.
—Alphonse Pierre, Pitchfork, 15 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for buffoonery
Recent Examples of Synonyms for buffoonery
Noun
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As the race unfolds in real time, there’s clowning, collisions, sabotage, surprises, comedy, chaos and more.—
Pam Kragen,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
13 Apr. 2026
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Comedy and clowning are ways Zaalan has connected with their homeland after the Syrian revolution.—
Candace Hansen,
Los Angeles Times,
1 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The president has long bristled at the otherwise customary joking at his expense by celebrity comedians.—
Dennis Romero,
NBC news,
28 Apr. 2026
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Here opposites — classy and brassy — are distractions, with odd-couple joking substituting for something more substantial.—
Frank Rizzo,
Variety,
23 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Warm temperatures should keep the snow from causing too much traffic tomfoolery on Tuesday, but by the evening, roads are likely to turn slick, Danielson said.—
Lauren Penington,
Denver Post,
4 May 2026
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The Jazz are 15-35, which puts them at the sixth pick if zero lottery-ball tomfoolery happens.—
Zach Harper,
New York Times,
3 Feb. 2026
Noun
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As for Abdul-Mateen, the clownery will resume for him on Broadway.—
Jessica Wang,
EW.com,
1 Sep. 2022
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Tirhakah Love is a senior writer at New York Magazine and the host of the new evening newsletter Dinner Party, a daily email that touches on all things entertainment — that means film, television, music, tech, and gaming — plus politics and corporate clownery.—
Vulture,
Vulture,
29 Apr. 2022
Noun
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Once, before the stabbing, Malik chased Yahkeim with a knife during horseplay.—
Grethel Aguila,
Miami Herald,
5 May 2026
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The precisely choreographed horseplay in the first act of his Nutcracker is physical comedy at its best.—
Manuel Mendoza,
Dallas Morning News,
30 Mar. 2026
Noun
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One way to stop this proliferation of deep-fake nudity is to prosecute the offenders and make examples that such foolery has consequences.—
Charles Selle,
Chicago Tribune,
20 Apr. 2026
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Lane didn't stop the foolery there, though.—
Lauren Huff,
Entertainment Weekly,
27 Jan. 2026
Noun
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In Dumb and Dumber, Daniels starred as Harry Dunne opposite Carrey's Lloyd Christmas, forming a now-classic comedic duo that leaned heavily into slapstick and outrageous scenarios.—
Virginia Chamlee,
PEOPLE,
5 May 2026
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In a culminating comic battle with garden implements, Westport’s production came off as safe slapstick compared with Hartford’s, which, while still funny, definitely has a more aggressive edge.—
Christopher Arnott,
Hartford Courant,
28 Apr. 2026
Noun
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There’s a playfulness, there’s a twinkle in the eye, there’s a sort of tongue in the cheek to that sort of tradition.—
David Canfield,
HollywoodReporter,
13 May 2026
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In an era where trust in leadership is at an all-time low, playfulness is a competitive advantage.—
Julie Kratz,
Forbes.com,
10 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Buffoonery.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/buffoonery. Accessed 14 May. 2026.
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